GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx — itextpdf
HIGHGHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx is a high-severity (CVSS 8.8) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in com.itextpdf:itextpdf. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for com.itextpdf:itextpdf — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in iText
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,166 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
com.itextpdf:itextpdf☕com.itextpdf:itextpdf☕com.lowagie:itextReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
The XML parsers in iText before 5.5.12 and 7.x before 7.0.3 do not disable external entities, which might allow remote attackers to conduct XML external entity (XXE) attacks via a crafted PDF.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | com.itextpdf:itextpdf | all versions | 5.5.12com.itextpdf:itextpdf:5.5.12 |
| ☕Maven | com.itextpdf:itextpdf | ≥ 7.0.0&&< 7.0.3 | 7.0.3com.itextpdf:itextpdf:7.0.3 |
| ☕Maven | com.lowagie:itext | all versions | No fix |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for com.itextpdf:itextpdf, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update com.itextpdf:itextpdf to 5.5.12 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-86p9-x5pw-94qx across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.